´óÏó´«Ã½

´óÏó´«Ã½ BLOGS - Newsnight: Michael Crick
« Previous | Main | Next »

Good wishes for the Duncan Smiths

Michael Crick | 20:53 UK time, Sunday, 4 October 2009

I attended a fringe meeting last night held by Iain Duncan Smith's Commission on Social Justice, hoping to hear a speech by IDS himself.

But the audience was then told that IDS couldn't come because his wife Betsy had been undergoing chemotherapy yesterday - for cancer that was diagnosed in June.

Indeed IDS may not be able to attend the conference at all this year as, quite understandably, he is looking after his wife.

I went along to the meeting because IDS has had a remarkable renaissance as a politician after his resignation as Conservative leader in 2003 - with his ground-breaking work on inner-city poverty and social justice.

He hasn't sat on the front bench since 2003, but has been hugely influential on Conservative policy, and I expect him to get a job in a Cameron government.

Like everyone else at this conference, and throughout politics, I wish Betsy Duncan Smith a speedy recovery.

Comments

Ìý

´óÏó´«Ã½ iD

´óÏó´«Ã½ navigation

´óÏó´«Ã½ © 2014 The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.